Pittsburgh

My second visit to the great city of Pittsburgh was just as amazing as my first (last year for the FSU/PITT game), if not better. Having grown up on the East Coast, I’m rather disappointed I waited until the past couple years to check out this fun city. But as they say, better late than never!

Although a short visit, I headed to Pittsburgh Sunday afternoon (via Southwest) to meet up with some Texans fans for the much anticipated Monday Night Football game to see the Texans take on the Pittsburgh Steelers (spoiler alert – the Steelers won).

Here are some highlights of my Pittsburgh visit, where I stayed, ate, and partied. Perhaps use it as a guide next time you visit and if I missed any good spots, leave a comment so I can add it to my list for my next visit. Because there will be a next visit.

Lodging:

Cambria Suites: I stayed at the same spot I stayed on my Pittsburgh getaway last fall – it was a tiny bit further than most of my friend’s hotels, but with the free and accessible shuttle offered by Cambria Suites, I literally was only a few minutes away. I wish I had been in town to catch a Penguins game (never seen them), as my hotel is literally a stones throw away from the arena, and as we all know Pittsburgh is a huge city for hockey.

The hotel is clean and simple, and has everything you need (including a mini-fridge in the hotel and a Keurig) and the fitness center is definitely on point.

Bars:

Since we were in town for a sporting event, bars definitely took up a bit of our time, but no complaints from me!

Jerome Bettis Grille 36 – I would venture to say I spent more time in this one spot than anywhere else. It’s the same owner group as the Texans Grille, it was a good easy-to-find meeting spot, the food was better than most any bar food I’ve had and the Bud Light was cold. What else do you need? The cheeseburger sliders are a must-try as is the “BUS Steak Salad.”

Redbeards – Another place I’ve been before, still great like last time. It was a little more low-key than Bettis’ but still a ton of fun and a spot the locals seem to enjoy. Football on the TVs and friendly bar staff.

Fatheads – (On E. Carson Street) – Definitely a younger looking-to-party crowd and just over the bridge (as if there aren’t 446 bridges to decipher from…). Great selection of local beers and I heard the food was amazing, but had already eaten so I can’t speak firsthand.

DeLucas – This is a hole in the wall diner well known for breakfast and located in a historic part of Pittsburgh. We waited in line Monday morning next to a handful of other Texans fans for an extremely greasy/perfect for a hangover meal. The line looked a lot longer than the actual wait and it has a huge menu. IMPORTANT: MUST BRING CASH

Meat and Potatoes – I didn’t get the chance to make it there this trip, but I wish I had. If you head to Pittsburgh, THIS is where you need to go for dinner – since it is based on the two most important parts of dinner. It is amazing. That is all I remember from last time. Make reservations if possible, it’s in the heart of the Cultural District and is also considered a Gastropub, so beers are pretty good there too!

Transportation: For the most part we used Uber, which was easy, except after the game when none were available. Pittsburgh is a pretty easy and walkable city, so that was a plus and of course I had access to the Cambria Suites complimentary shuttle, which was never more than 20 minutes away after a quick call.

Run: A great city for a run (or walk) and a chance to take in all the beautiful rivers, bridges and just all around scenery. For a few tips and trails, check out this local Pittsburgh Running Group.

Photo Opp: In true Traveling Texans form, a massive group of Texans fans met up at Point State Park to take a group photo. The Texans even sent along staff to hand out goodies to the hardcore fans. Nice touch Texans, nice touch.

Heinz Field: A fairly new stadium, just 13 years old, Heinz Field is an absolute beauty. The black and yellow are pretty aggressive (the colors, not the fans) once inside, and I had the opportunity to sit in the club level (Section 236), which had a full bar, no lines for food and a great view of the field.

Thanks to Pittsburgh, their fans and businesses for showing this Texas girl another good time. Will definitely be seeing you in the near future! Whether you’re visiting Pittsburgh for sports, awesome dining or just overall fun, it’s a city to be added to your calendar sooner rather than later.

Jayme Lamm is a freelance writer and marketing consultant based in Houston focusing on travel writing and is in a full-court press writing her hugely opinionated sports column, The Blonde Side. Be sure to follow Jayme’s travel and sports adventures on Twitter @jaymelamm.